Loadstar 128 #14/q14.d81/t.diskovery 14

Text File | 1990-01-01 | 6.0 KB | 111 lines

                   D I S K O V E R Y : The C-128 Greets 1992

                               by Fender Tucker


     Since the C-128 was introduced in mid-1985 there have been a lot of
mixed signals from Commodore about it.  The signals have become a bit
clearer in the past few years though, especially since the Amiga was
introduced -- "Forget the C-128, buy an Amiga," saith Commodore.  Well, I,
for one, don't want to buy an Amiga.  I like my 128D just fine.

     We haven't been able to buy a new 128 for a couple of years now.  I
bought one of the last refurbished 128D's from Software Hut about a year
ago.  But with all of the 128's that were originally produced still out
there somewhere I have a feeling that there will be spares available for
years to come.  I bought a backup system for LOADSTAR last month for $450
(128 flat-top computer, 2 1571 drives, 1902 monitor) through an ad in the
local Thrifty Shopper newspaper.  I'll bet your local shopper has one or two
systems for sale every month.

     If you have an adventuresome spirit, there's an even cheaper way to
keep your C-128 system running.  When something goes out in a computer like
the C-128, nine times out of ten it's a blown chip.  Most of the important
chips in a C-128 are socketed.  Fixing the problem is simply a matter of
finding the bad chip and replacing it.  The Grapevine Group, Inc.
(1-800-292-7445) sells chips for about $10 apiece, but they're not the only
suppliers of chips.  Check in RUN or Gazette for more places to write or
call.

     But hardware is not everything.  If you're reading this right now
you've got your hardware needs taken care of already.  What about software?
If I were a marketing mogul I'd probably try to tell you that LOADSTAR 128
supplies you with everything you'll ever need for your computer.  I wouldn't
even mention that we have "competitors".  However, my body has been
thoroughly searched and there's not a marketing bone to be found.  I'm a
programming editor, not a salesman.

     So let me tell you about software for the 128.  LOADSTAR 128 provides
you with 25 or so major programs a year.  You know that so let's talk about
the rest of the 128 world.  According to the the 1991 index in RUN Magazine
they published about a hundred 64/128 programs last year.  That 64/128 code
is a tipoff that the programs are actually 64 programs in 40 columns.  I
counted 19 programs that apparently are just for the C-128.  I haven't seen
an index for Gazette but I imagine they have about the same numbers of
programs as RUN.

     A disappointing figure from RUN's index is the number of reviews for
commercial 128 programs.  Two programs for 1991: I Paint and Pocket Writer
3.  It looks as though the commercial software firms are catering to the
larger market, as usual.

     Twin Cities 128 is back in business and, judging by issue #29, they
will have the best technical information for the C-128.  As a paper magazine
they can go into a lot more detail than we can on LOADSTAR 128.  Their
writers also have more time to get obsessed with heavy-duty, advanced topics
than Jeff or I do.  They plan to publish six issues a year.  Write Parsec,
P.O. Box 111, Salem MA 01970-0111 for more information.

     All three of the magazines have a "disk companion" with the type-in
programs on them, but I will abstain from critiquing them.  They've never
critiqued us, either.  Or even acknowledged that we exist, for that matter.

      I'll end this un-Madison Avenue article with a stab at some marketing
hype.  If you've only got $40 to spend on software for your C-128 this year,
go with LOADSTAR 128.  If you've got $60 more, subscribe to the paper
magazines.  If you've still got some bucks left, and your hardware needs are
taken care of (fastload cartridge or DOS, second drive, printer, good RGB
monitor, etc.), then what the hell, go for the disk companions.

     Can you see why I've never been considered for a high-paying,
tie-wearing job here at Softdisk?

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

     I just read in a newsletter that Creative Micro-Designs, 1-800-638-3263
(orders) and 1-413-525-0023 (questions), has lowered their prices for hard
drives by at least $100 per unit.  For instance, their HD-20 (20-megabyte)
is selling for $400.  CMD is the #1 Commodore hardware company and deserves
the support of all of us who love our 8-bit Commodores.  We're happy to
announce that every CMD hard drive is sold with our LOADSTAR Sampler
installed in a partition so users will have something to play with right
away.  You won't believe the speed of LOADSTAR when it's on a hard drive.

     Hmmm.  Maybe I'm getting better at that marketing hype?

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

     I've been doing some research on error-trapping and reporting lately.
On LOADSTAR 64 I plan to have a definitive article for programmers on how to
handle disk and printer access so that a user never needs to worry about
loading, saving, printing, etc.  I'm not going to write a similar article
for the C-128 because it has better trapping and more drive reports (ER,
ERR$, DS, DS$) and I'm far from an expert.  Maybe one of you out there is
qualified to write such an article?  If so, send it in and we'll pass it on.

     For now, though, there's one thing you can do to make your life (and
mine) a lot less frustrating.  When a data disk gets down to 50 blocks free,
start another disk.  Our Quality Assurance department does very rigorous
testing of our programs and they always bounce programs back to me saying
"Program doesn't give 'disk full' report when saving to a full disk."  I
can't figure out a foolproof way of fixing this.  Apparently, trying to
write to a disk with 0 blocks free will give you a "illegal track or sector"
error rather than a "disk full" error.

     LOADSTAR's are almost always full on all sides.  Do us both a favor and
always copy a program that saves files to a disk with plenty of blocks free
before using it for real.

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